Moffat is ruining Doctor Who

I love Doctor Who. It is one of those shows that I've grown up watching. As a kid, I would get to stay up late to watch the Classic Who on Friday nights. Even now, I plan my weekends around making sure that I can watch the new episode Saturday nights.

But I really feel like this new season, and Moffat especially, has really been butchering this new season. When the season premiered way back in September  I wrote a post about how disappointed I was with the season. But like any dedicated Whovian, I knew I would push past the episode and hope for better things to come. Especially as news of the 50th Anniversary special continues to trickle out, I kept hoping that this season would get better. And it hasn't . If anything, it is getting worse.

Let me preface this by saying if you haven't seen all of the episodes that have come out, I can tell you this will not be 100% spoiler free.

First, I hate Clara. I was interested when she was first introduced. Who was this mysterious, clever woman? Why was she trapped? Oh wait, she's a Dalek! That's amazing! And then we met her again in "The Snowmen" as a different character. We were interested. But then she died. Again. And then in "The Bells of Saint John" she came back as a different Clara. Just as it was with River, the question of who this impossible woman could be isn't dealt with in a subtle way, it isn't artfully crafted throughout the season. It is shoved down your face. She isn't even a unique character, I feel like she's a combination of Rose, Donna, and Amy. There isn't anything original about her.

Next, the writing relies completely on gimmicks  I thought "Journey to the Center of the TARDIS" would finally help us understand not only the relationship between Clara and the Doctor, but also between Clara and the TARDIS. It has been made clear that the TARDIS doesn't like Clara multiple times (probably because, just like Captain Jack, she's impossible). After you know, the entire TARDIS-is-exploding-we're-all-going-to-die, I thought that would bring mroe light on their relationships. But no, it was all erased from time and didn't happen at all. Yep. All those heartfelt moments didn't matter. Even the story about the Van Baalen brothers was shoddy writing at best. Yeah, two brothers are going to make their younger brother believe he's a fucking robot? And treat him like crap. And when the older brother dies it doesn't matter at all but the "robot" brother gets sympathy? And after it is all erased from time, the middle brother doesn't treat the not-robot brother better or tell him the truth, he just tells the older brother to lay off a little. And don't even get me started on the stupid monsters. Was there not enough tension by the ticking clock of the TARDIS that was supposed to explode? Did you really have to add a monster?

This week's episode "The Crimson Horror" was nothing but a disaster. There's a crazy mother trying to destroy the world and create a race of perfect people. And she treats her daughter, who she blinded by experimenting on her, like crap. The Doctor is utterly useless in this episode. He is rescued by Jenny (which, I am glad we are seeing a few old characters revisited). Then Jenny proves how awesome she is and takes down several men that are trying to attack. While the Doctor does nothing but flail about acting confused. He tries to reason with the crazy mother but that doesn't work. Clara is the one that destroys the machine by throwing a chair at it. Really? In the last moments trying to fight the crazy mother, the daughter is fooled yet again (oh you silly, ignorant blind girl) and held hostage. Strax is the one to eventually shoot her down (and she dies). The Doctor talks about maybe trying to take the parasite back to a time it belongs. But no, the daughter kills it. The Doctor doesn't explain anything about Clara to Jenny, Strax or Madame Vastra. He just leaves them. What good was the Doctor? All he did the entire episode was flail about pointlessly and get shown up by every other person on the show. He was outwitted by every one.

Finally, Moffat doesn't seem to care that the reason this show has lasted 50 years is because of the fans. He's told reporters that "It is important you don't turn it into a fanfest" in regards to the 5t0h Anniversary. He says that you "can't make it all about looking backwards." Excuse me? So you're only going to focus on the newest Doctor's? Apparently the entire show saying "Paradoxes are bad" is thrown out the window with Moffat. Remember how the universe was torn apart when the Master created a paradox? Apparently that doesn't matter when it comes to Moffat's writing.

I hate that Moffat keeps trying to say that Doctor Who is a fantasy show. It isn't. It is a science fiction show. Yes, there are some fantastic elements, but this is not a fantasy story. This is not a children's story. Doctor Who is a wonderful sci-fi show. Yes, the characters of the Doctor is going to evolve over time. Yes, his companions are going to change. Yes, as special effects evolve so to will the show. But that does not mean that doctor Who is a fantasy children's story. That does not mean that the show should completely rely on special effects on not delve into the characters.

Moffat is a lazy writer at best. As the head screen writer, he should be held accountable for the multiple failings that has happened since he replaced Russell T Davies. While Davies would also routinely rip out my heart at the end of the seasons, he at least managed to do it in a beautiful and mysterious way that I still will go back and watch those seasons and still get torn up.

It is far past the time that Moffat should leave. He's ruining this amazing show and will probably destroy the 50th Anniversary special.

The one good thing that has come from this season is the premiere of Orphan Black. It is amazingly written and compelling. I can't wait to see where this show goes and I'm thrilled to hear that it got renewed for a second season. At least there's something good to come from Doctor Who this season, even if it is me falling for another show that immediately follows.

The Doctor is back

Last night was the start of the newest season of Doctor who. And, honestly, I wasn't as impressed as I thought I was going to be.

I've been looking forward to the new season since BBC announced the newest companion in May and then when they released the teaser and promos in the last month. Watching "Living with the Ponds" definitely added to my excitement. BBC also had an all day marathon leading up to the premiere.

The episode started off really exciting, the Doctor and Amy and Rory were all abducted by Daleks. This is very, very bad as all Whovians know. Then the plot twist because the Daleks have captured the Doctor to save them. And the Doctor is sent to the place where the "ruined" Daleks are held because they can't destroy something they consider beautiful, pure hatred. All very exciting.

But then, things get kinda lame. Without sharing too much with those of you that haven't seen the episode, I felt the rest of the episode relied on the same gimmicks as the last two seasons. There was so much of the whole theme of forgetting that was throughout the previous seasons that I felt like we were just falling back on the same story. Season five was all about how the crack in the universe was causing Amy to forget things, people to be erased and forgotten, and eventually Amy remembered and brought them back. It was awesome! Season six was a bit more with the whole remember/forget theme. Amy wasn't real and forgot she was actually pregnant, had a baby, and didn't realize River was her daughter. Now, season seven is opening with the same theme. People forgot they were Daleks and forgot they were human. Sorry, Moffat, but I'm getting a bit tired of this theme. Isn't it time to start moving on?

The thing that really bothered me most of all about the season opener is (spoiler alert) the Daleks forgot about the Doctor. This bothers me not only because of the theme previously mentioned, but it also gets rid of one of the biggest villains in this 50 year old show. How can you make the Daleks forget about the Doctor?? I've been a little (read that VERY) annoyed that the writers have pretty much stopped including old characters. A slight remark here and there that alludes to the previous regenerations is nice, but why are old characters not included anymore? Angels have been erased from time so they're not happeneing, the story with the Master is finished, and now Daleks are gone. What about maybe including a previous companion or two? Maybe bring back Jack and the Face of Bo? K-9? Sarah Jane? SOMETHING!?!

I'm sorry Moffat, but I'm also tired of the same in-your-face writing that you're so fond of. All of season five, it was all about this crack. What is this crack? Guys, there's a crack here too! Guys, did you notice that Rory is erased from time by the crack?! Guys! The crack!! Season six he was all about River's story. Guys, don't you want to know who River is? What is River's story? Guys! Here's River's story! River is Melody! Bet you didn't see that coming! Oh! Doctor Who! What's the question? What's the answer?! AREN'T YOU GUYS EXCITED?!

Sorry, that writing is just really grating after a time. Remember season three? With the whole YANA thing? or season one with the entire Bad Wolf? What happened to that sort of subtle writing that would really drive, not only an episode, but the entire series? I'm far from giving up on a show I've been watching since I was six, but I am really tired of this gimmicky style of writing. Please, Moffat and fellow writers give me something more this season. Please bring back the Doctor Who I loved and still want to love the same way!

Wow... So this turned into more of a rant of Moffat's writing and stuff. Oh well. I feel like it needed to be said.